I have so much love for this series – intense romantic YA drama that is also smart and funny. I loved Ella and Reed’s story in the first three books of the series, but like a lot of other readers, Reed’s younger brother, Easton, also completely captured my heart and I have been so excited to get to his story. And this book was exactly what I was hoping for! It took me right back into this world and into the mind of a wonderfully complex, loveable character, and I loved every moment of it!

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I have so much love for this series – intense romantic YA drama that is also smart and funny. I loved Ella and Reed’s story in the first three books of the series, but like a lot of other readers, Reed’s younger brother, Easton, also completely captured my heart and I have been so excited to get to his story. And this book was exactly what I was hoping for! It took me right back into this world and into the mind of a wonderfully complex, loveable character, and I loved every moment of it!

Just a note that this book is not a standalone. It contains huge spoilers for the previous three books in the series, so be careful before diving in.

Easton is the middle of the five Royal brothers. Gorgeous, funny, charming and endlessly arrogant, Easton has wealth, popularity, and can (and does) have any woman he wants. But his outgoing persona hides a deeper, secret part of himself that is tormented by pain and guilt, emotions that he tries to block out with alcohol, drugs, women and violence. He’s a complex character who feels deeply and has a huge heart, and this book is written entirely in his POV, and I loved this chance to get to know him better as he meets his match in Hartley Wright.

Hartley is new to Easton’s snobby, upper-class high school. A senior like himself, she shuns attention but completely grabs his when it seems that she wants nothing to do with him. No girl has ever turned him down, and it’s initially intrigue that draws Easton in. He can’t seem to stay away from the shy and quiet new girl, and he soon learns that she’s intelligent and feisty with a quick wit and a smart mouth, and their initial interactions are gold!

Despite Hartley’s complete disinterest in him, Easton wants her. He is drawn to her in a way that he has never been drawn to anybody before, and he can’t stay away from her, even though she consistently knocks back his stellar pick up lines.

His flirtiness and dirty mind (and mouth) are both ingrained in his everyday behaviour, but as hilarious as they are, they don’t work on Hartley and in the end, he agrees to become friends with her, acknowledging that it’s the only way he gets to spend time with her, and wanting that more than anything.

I loved seeing Easton take Hartley on. His determination to be a part of her life is both sweet and funny, and I loved watching the shift in their relationship as she caves and starts to let him in. But Hartley has secrets, and she’s not one to open up, which frustrates Easton and he doesn’t know how to handle that, or his undeniable feelings for the girl who has very quickly become his best friend.

In addition, the girls at school have their bitchy claws out, and things are still tough at home with Reed now gone off to college, the twins in a twisted relationship, and the drama of events in the last book still having its effect on the household. Yes, there seems to be drama everywhere, and things only get worse when he’s finally let into Hartley’s world and sees first hand just what she’s dealing with. It’s intense and dramatic, and my heart ached for Easton watching him try to deal with it all.

And as much as I loved Easton, and as strong a character as he is, Hartley is a wonderful match for him. She’s not the heroine I expected for him, but she’s amazing in her own right, and I loved her strength and resilience, and the way she slowly accepted him in to her life. I’m so excited to see more of them together.

I loved this book. I loved Easton’s narrative, and I love that I was instantly drawn back into the exciting, complicated and dramatic world of this family. Easton is flawed but he totally owns it, and this book feels like a real journey of discovery for him which is just gorgeous to watch. And though the story would have been good enough on its own, seeing it all through Easton’s eyes and feeling everything right along with him made this a really special read.

And that ending! Holy hell, Erin Watt has written some hideous cliffhangers in this series but this one has to top them all. It’s nasty, people! Really nasty. And now the wait begins for January and the release of Cracked Kingdom so that we can see how it’s all going to turn out.

[SPOILER SUGGESTIVE]

What just happened?
*looks around at other Royal fangirls.*
Did they just...? Did that just...?

Hmm.
Well, at about 75% I thought I had my review locked down. I had plans to say that Easton Royal is a misguided, very flawed, drunken f-boy. (Who I still love, despite these descriptions!) Who becomes infatuated with Hartley Wright. A girl who is attracted to him, but not interested in the least in "a Royal," and all that comes with that last name. She wants to get ...

[SPOILER SUGGESTIVE]

What just happened?
*looks around at other Royal fangirls.*
Did they just...? Did that just...?

Hmm.
Well, at about 75% I thought I had my review locked down. I had plans to say that Easton Royal is a misguided, very flawed, drunken f-boy. (Who I still love, despite these descriptions!) Who becomes infatuated with Hartley Wright. A girl who is attracted to him, but not interested in the least in "a Royal," and all that comes with that last name. She wants to get through her senior year at Astor under the radar, and Easton is the one consistently setting that radar off. I mean when she first sees him he's... well you'll just have to read it to find out!

When it comes to Hartley, East is persistent and unrelenting, and at times it was a bit uncomfortable. I sometimes didn't know whether their "relationship," was unhealthy or good for the both of them. I actually enjoyed that Fallen Heir wasn't just a typical reluctant romance. The relationship wasn't easy, but it is theirs. Eventually East starts to have a bit of growth, and so does Hartley. They still have leaps and bounds to go, and I'm really hoping they will only get better and better in their second book.

With Easton, Erin Watt took a character that we saw as funny and a little broken, and showed us ALL OF HIS LAYERS. Even though they are not all pretty. We got the REAL deal Easton Royal from his POV. The good, the bad, and the ugly. If you're going to read Fallen Heir I highly recommend you prepare yourself to be a little mad at Easton. It's ok. Redemption is a thing. Trust Erin Watt! They give us a new love interest in Hartley and kept her mysterious and unfolded her backstory slowly. If you had any preconceived "ships," established... throw them out and embrace Hartley with an open mind. She isn't a simple character by any means! I really can't wait to see where book two goes with everything we now know.

In summary, this was a really good first part of East's story. It was shocking. Full of the drama and angst only the Royal family and the students of Astor Prep can provide, and had me turning pages like a mad woman. I'd for sure say this one stayed more in the realm of a mature YA than the first three books. There are characters that we love that return to make some short appearances. I always love how Erin Watt can take banter between someone who is only a side character and still make it important and entertaining. This book is full of GOOD MEATY bits, not filler!! If you enjoyed books 1-3, I highly recommend Fallen Heir. This book is the perfect addition to The Royals series!

Sidenote: Can I mention how much I still love and am obsessed with Val, *sigh* can she get a novella or something please? The fangirls need this! Right... I'm not alone?